just wondering

hi guys i just passed the nclex-rn, im a licensed nurse in the philippines but has moved to san francisco this year. I've been out of practice for many years since graduating from nursing school. I enrolled in a 5mo. clinical program before i left for the states last year, but since arriving early this year and up to now i havent worked yet. Im just curious if there are hospitals or other institutions here in san francisco which offer paid refresher programs for re-entry nurses? or are all refresher programs non-paid? my husband and i are in a bad situation financially right now and i knew that even if i passed the licensure exam i would not be marketable because of my being out of practice, but i was hoping that some institutions would have paid internship/refresher programs even if its just low compensation i would gladly accept coz at least its something.

I took an RN refresher course at a community college that was very inexpensive and was offered a position at a very well known, well respected hospital where we'd done our clinical refresher portion of the course. It only lasted about 5 months...was a great way to get my feet wet after being in nonclinical nursing for a while...Good luck...check with your local community college system..

Dec 22, '06

I have been out of practice for six years. But three out of six years I was working on my MSN degree in the US. While applying for RN positions, I was told that they could not hire me since I did not have any working experiences in the US. They wanted me to apply for NG program since I am considered as a US graduate becasue I got my MSN in the US even though I received my BSN degree in my home country. So I applied for it but they were not intersted in me. Some HR staff suggested me to take the refresher course, so I called the director of Nursing with a local community college. She told me that I was unable to take that course because "I haven't been out of practice long enough." The course is for RNs who are out of practice for 10 to 15 years...

Even with an RN license, Green Card, BLS card, and more than eight years of working experiences outside the US, I am unable to find an RN position in the Bay area.

I have been out of practice for six years. But three out of six years I was working on my MSN degree in the US. While applying for RN positions, I was told that they could not hire me since I did not have any working experiences in the US. They wanted me to apply for NG program since I am considered as a US graduate becasue I got my MSN in the US even though I received my BSN degree in my home country. So I applied for it but they were not intersted in me. Some HR staff suggested me to take the refresher course, so I called the director of Nursing with a local community college. She told me that I was unable to take that course because "I haven't been out of practice long enough." The course is for RNs who are out of practice for 10 to 15 years...

Even with an RN license, Green Card, BLS card, and more than eight years of working experiences outside the US, I am unable to find an RN position in the Bay area.

Really! maybe ill try LA because my whole family lives there and LA is big and i think i have more chances there because my brother told me he has a friend a nurse in the philippines but had no experience when he got here but he was accepted at kaisser because kaisser offers an extensive 6 mo. orientation program, sf/bay area is such a small market for nurses and a lot of nurses want to work here so of course they would prefer someone with US work experiemce.